Certain artists form special bonds with their fans and followers. The Grateful Dead clearly comes to mind thanks to the dedicated devotion of legions of Deadheads, but other artists — Neil Young, Todd Rundgren, and Jimmy Buffett among them — have also created a communal connection that brings the relationship between artist and audience even closer. Still, The Moody Blues stand apart, not only as a result of their 50 years of making music, but also because that music they made became an indelible soundtrack for an entire generation.

This year, the band — which is still helmed by original members Justin Hayward (vocals, guitar), John Lodge (vocals, bass) and Graeme Edge (drummer, poet) — plans to mark a major milestone, that being the 50th anniversary of “Days of Future Passed,” the seminal album which not only marked the bands transition to progressive rock from their R&B origins, but also helped usher in an era of experimentation and ambition, the likes of which, rock hasn’t seen since. A remarkable fusion of classical music and certain cerebral sounds fostered by ambition and innovation, it gave birth to such songs as “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon,” tracks that remain an integral part of The Moodies’ remarkable repertoire. The band plans to play the entire album live in its entirety on tour, recreating it exactly as imagined in its original incarnation. Then January 2—7, 2018 the band ventures out for the fourth run of their ever-popular Moody Blues Cruise, offering fans and followers yet another opportunity to embrace a band that’s still unique and enchanting.

Goldmine recently spoke with Graeme Edge about the past, the present and the future.